by Tunde Fagbenle

The transformation of Lagos into a veritable centre of culture and excellence is happening before our very eyes, slowly, surely, and amazingly. This is Lagos. What is happening in and to Fashola’s Lagos cannot but fill one with joy, with each day seemingly ushering in something new. 

Last Monday was Easter Monday and the culmination of a whole week of festivity and cultural extravaganza by the Lagos State government. Strangely, it was my first experience of the event-filled week, tagged Black Heritage Festival, that’s been going on annually for five years. The answer is not far-fetched, until this year my Easter period has always been away from the country to be with the family.

And what a pleasant discovery! Each evening of the week featured Tunji Oyelana (Uncle Tunji), the London-based, self-exiled, multi-talented minstrel playing at Freedom Park on Broad Street. On some days, the equally talented folklorist songster Jimi Solanke took turns to perform.

Freedom Park (for those who do not know) is yet another of Governor Fashola’s “wonders” in Lagos – the transformation of the old Broad Street prison, whose “claim to fame” was having Chief Obafemi Awolowo as its most distinguished inmate at one point in the long
political sufferings of the late sage, transformed into an exotic park of architectural beauty, calming floral
ambience and artistic expressions. On its intelligently space-managed grounds are scattered pieces of sculptural masterpieces donated or loaned to the park by Omooba Yemisi Shyllon, arguably Africa’s biggest art connoisseur and collector.

Throughout the festival week Freedom Park also hosted an array of cultural activities coordinated by the dynamic literary critic and enthusiast, former editor of sunday edition of The Guardian, Jahman Anikulapo. The events included book and art displays, culinary offerings, and most importantly drama performances by various groups. In particular, was Tunde Kelani’s production of “Lanke Omu,” a brilliant and outlandish reenactment of late Kola Ogunmola’s “Lanke Omu (Palmwine Drinkard)” which featured on Easter Sunday to a full house, including governors of Lagos and Osun, Fashola and Aregbesola respectively, and the great Nobel Laureate, Wole Soyinka himself, who apparently has been part of the creative spirit of the annual festival from inception.

On that Sunday, after the drama performance, it was great to have the maverick governor of my state, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, stay back and share my table to enjoy Tunji Oyelana into the night. Others with us included my friends, Segun Odegbami (“the Mathematical” ex-international football star); Dr. Femi Olugbile (just retired Perm. Sec. Lagos Health ministry); Senator Femi Ojudu; Peter Badejo (the renowned choreographer and dancer); Dr. Bunmi Omoseindemi, and some others.

Then came Monday with the Brazilian-style carnival. Five years on, the carnival has grown into its own magnificence. It was public holiday, and Lagos awoke into a calmness that belied the spectacle the day held in store.

My friend and host in Lagos, Tunde Olaniyan, whose house lies strategically on the Awolowo Road, Ikoyi route of the carnival procession already, from experience of preceding years, had it worked out on how best to be part of that carnival revelry. He had invited a number of our Ikoyi Club friends to make their way down to his place before noon. I had called a few of mine too, (Segun Odegbami again, and Kehinde Ojo). Under a canopy put in place in front of Tunde’s place, we sat in “ambush” of the carnival procession to give ourselves ample viewing advantage; food and drinks aplenty, courtesy of our host.

Then, lo and behold, my egbon, Chief Segun Osoba, veteran journalist and former governor of Ogun State, showed up too, apparently his second year running on the invitation of Tunde Olaniyan. Well, Chief Osoba has some Lagos roots too and identifies with Lagos and Lagos ways as much as he does of his Egba lineage.

As early as 10am, much earlier than we anticipated, the carnival troupes had begun to waltz past our rendezvous point. Their take-off point was some field along Alfred Rewane Road (former Kingsway Road) by Bourdillon Road, then all the way down the length of Awolowo Road, right on to Campus Square and back to end at the Tafawa Balewa Square at Onikan for the grand finale.

Dressed in colourful and competing costumes of extravagant proportions, the stream of carnival participants, in tens of thousands, was a sight to behold. Drumming, singing, and dancing, each group in turn would stop now and then to display their gyrating dances and acrobatic prowess. The spectacle was impressive.

The flow was unceasing, with floats of colourfully attired vehicles and gaily-dressed statues, right until about 4pm when the last group went past.

The massive litter all over the streets was an environmental challenge. But impressively, within minutes an army of street cleaners and trucks followed, and we were stunned to find the streets restored to normal level of cleanliness even before we dispersed. “Lagos is working,” a friend said. Credit too must also go to the officials who organised the carnival and were seen all over directing the affairs and ensuring discipline and order. Even, some top-level officers (directors and Perm. Secs) could be seen moving up and down, some on motorbikes, just to ensure a successful outing.

Presently not near enough such stupendous carnivals as the Rio in Brazil or the Nottinghill in London, the Lagos Carnival has the potential of growing into a big touristic event on the continent that would draw visitors from all over the world and become a dominant economic yield for the state and the country.

That is still a long way yet. Colourful and exciting as the costumes are at the moment, tourists out for voyeuristic pleasure would be disappointed in the relative conservatism of the Lagos costumes. Certainly, as years go by such “modesty” would have to yield to more tolerant permissiveness if the taste of the international tourists were to be met some way.

Equally, and as the Minister of Tourism, Mr. Edem Duke, opined at the Tafawa Balewa Square venue of the closing ceremonies, the Lagos carnival needs to bring on board more local content in its repertoire, lest it stays at just a poor imitation of the world-renowned Brazilian carnival. “There must be some indigenous and local content in the carnival,” Duke said, and I concur. It is a call to the creativity of our local designers, a challenge I am sure we can more than meet given the ingenuity of the Nigerian.

For now, Governor Fashola has opened yet another door of opportunity to Lagos State and its inhabitants. The private sector will have to move in and seize on the huge potential. That is when the creativity gets more daring; the populace gets involved through individual enterprise and side-street side-shows. The like of makeshift canopy my friend Tunde put up will then be everywhere, with food, drinks and music on offer, all adding to the whole gaiety. Then the billions will roll in!

I overreached myself last week – eating, drinking and dancing to Tunji Oyelana all week, forgetting my age and capping it up with the Monday carnival revelry – now my body is no longer mine, and I have Governor Fashola to blame for it!

The transformation of Lagos into a veritable centre of culture and excellence is happening before our very eyes, slowly, surely, and amazingly. This is Lagos. What is happening in and to Fashola’s Lagos cannot but fill one with joy, with each day seemingly ushering in something new. With the like of Fashola at the helm of our national affairs Nigeria may yet have a bright future.

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Op-ed pieces and contributions are the opinions of the writers only and do not represent the opinions of Y!/YNaija.